Removing sway bar question

[Pure Insanity]

With 6in lift springs could I SAFELY remove the bar all together and still be a daily driver. When I removed the bar on my Camaro I had a bunch of body roll, but the front would lift much much better.

I could use a sway bar disco. but Im going to cross over hopefully soon, so the bar will have to go anyway then. Id like to just get it out and gone while I have PI all apart anyhow, if I can that is.

 

[gokartergo]

It seems every K5 is a little diffrent.. I disco it on my 86 K5 and it sways really bad.. So I put disconnects on it.. I took them off of my 77 and it is fine..No roll at all. Just disconnect it at the axle and take it for a drive.. You'll now if you like it or not..

 

[muddysub]

mudbogAD drives his 79 jimmy with a 6" superlift superride and 39.5" TSLs on the road every day with out a swaybar.

 

[Z3PR]

I didn't bother to put my swaybar back on when we installed the 6" suspension lift. I haven't needed it with the stock size tires. Might be different when the big tires go on. Try driving it to see if you'll need it or not.

 

[Shaggy]

<font color="green"> I also have a 6" lift (Superlift Softride springs) with no swaybar. Body roll is not noticably worse, and it rides way better without it. I'm so sure that I'll never put it back in that I gave the swaybar away a couple weeks ago.</font color>

 

[Z3PR]

Superlift soft ride 6" here also

 

[Pure Insanity]

One thing I have noticed on mine and a friends K5 w/6in. is that both of our rigs are twisting the Ubolt plates in the direction of the bar. Binding on compression maybe? We both had recently gone wheeling too.

It looks like Ill try to drive w/it disco'd before I totally remove it. Ill prob unbolt it tommorow and wire it up. If it doesnt feel right Ill bolt it back up Monday, and get a set of discos.

 

[BOWTIE]

i'm running without one and i have 8 skyjacker springs with a leaf removed from the spring pack. you basically have to get use to driving without it.

 

[reddog64]

yeah.. you have to oversteer sometimes...

Butonce your used to it...

it's great!!! off road that is...

Do it, and you'll forget you took it off...

 

[ColAdo82K5]

No bar at all on my 6 inch, rides and tracks like a dream...much better than my old 2.5 inch lift with the sway bar on. Just Do It.
Blake

 

[reddog64]

take it off and tell yourself you'll put it back on in 1 week.. trust me, you'll forget it's off and forget to put it back on!

 

[Pure Insanity]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
take it off and tell yourself you'll put it back on in 1 week.. trust me, you'll forget it's off and forget to put it back on!

[/ QUOTE ] You must know me! Yeah Ill get to it next week. Well maybe next week. AHHH HELL forget it!

Love your avatar BTW.

 

[Sandman]

I'm with Shaggy on this one. Take it off. The first curb you drive over will be much nicer.

 

[HarryH3]

The only time that you really need a swaybar is in an emergency/panic maneuver. The difference in body roll and handling during those 2 or 3 seconds can be the difference between continuing on your way or ending up rolling over or hitting something. The other 99.999% of the time, you won't notice much difference.

 

[Greg72]

PI,

Try it and see....! It's "free" anyway.

My '72 never came with a swaybar. I rode on stiff 4" springs initially, and didn't notice any problems with body roll. Then I swapped in a set of SOFT 4" springs from ORD, and got major body roll and bumpsteer! At that point, I was not comfortable without a swaybar, so I bolted one in and really liked the improvement in road manners....had to use the ORD QD Kit for offroad though.

Then I went to crossover steering, and didn't have a choice about the swaybar anymore (Can't use it!) so I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best. I am happy to say that the truck now runs fine without the bar. Probably a combination of the fact that crossover steering TOTALLY cured my massive bumpsteer issues, and the fact that I run RS9000 shocks and can add a little more shock stiffness to compensate for the lack of a swaybar.

I don't think I've ever read about anyone with crossover steering complaining about road manners of their truck...?

/forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[bigjbear]

Hell, I haven't gotten around to putting the PINS back in my disconnects yet.

 

[BurbLover]

I have me 'Burban which weighs a tad more than the "typical" K5. I'm running a 5" lift with no swaybar &amp; 36x12.50.16.5s. I tow a camper into the mountains for an increase/decrease in altitude of 6000 ft plus. As long as I don't try to pretend I'm on a sprotbike through the corners, it handles just fine. I'd say to try it without it, but I doubt you'll put it back on.

 

[Pure Insanity]

Thanx guys! The only experience I have w/ no bar is the above mentioned Camaro which had LOTS of body roll w/out it, and my old CJ which rode like it had no suspension to begin w/. The way the Camaro leaned was my concern. It was low to the ground, PI on the other hand is at 6 and 3 on 38s and its about to get 2 more inches, (still w/ the 6in springs) so all that height had me worried.

Since I never made it to the shop today, Ill have to wait till Monday.

This pic is what got me thinking it needed to go. They are from around Easter this yr and I am now getting ready to do some more work. pic As you can see the rear has decent separartion, the front on the other hand is a bit stiff looking.